Spinning at the Seams

“Okay, I really don’t believe that California is eight hours away, the United States is not that big on this map!” I turned to look at Roxy, she was holding up the little map on the back of the airline brochure. We had taken off an hour ago, and already Marc was faking sleep.
“Roxy, you realize that the map you’re holding is not the real size of the Earth?” Roxy just rolled her eyes.
“Yes I realize that, but the plane is big on the map, so it must be big on the earth too, so it shouldn’t take eight hours for the plane to get from here,” she pointed to Massachusetts on the map, “to here,” She said pointing to California and then the plane, which was about the size of Illinois on the map.
“Roxy, the plane really isn’t that big, in fact in relation to that map, the plane is about the size of a safety pin tip.” Roxy frowned and looked back at the map.
“Then why would they make it so big on this picture?” I rubbed my temples, how did this girl get into college?
“Roxy, seriously, how do you not understand this?” Hunter asked incredulously. Roxy just shrugged.
“Because, I’ve never had to know this, and that doesn’t answer my question.” Hunter shook his head.
“Sometimes I’m glad we aren’t biologically related, and this Roxy, is one of those times.” Roxy scratched her head, and opened her mouth to ask another question when the flight attendants came by with refreshments promptly ending the conversation.
A few hours later Hunter started poking me.
“What Hunter?” I asked softly, my sisters had fallen asleep, and I really didn’t want to wake them up.
“She has to go to the bathroom,” he said pointing to Lily. I looked at Lily then at him.
“I don’t see why you had to tell me this.” Hunter shifted uncomfortably.
“I’m a guy, we don’t take our sister’s to the girl’s bathroom.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Ok, well these bathrooms I’m pretty sure aren’t boy or girl, they’re both, unless they’ve changed airplane bathroom designs in the year since I’ve flown. So it really shouldn’t be a problem.” I stated going to turn my iPod back on, Hunter stopped me.
“Please Toni, I don’t want to stand outside the bathroom waiting for her, and what if she needs me to go in there, that would be weird.” I looked at Lily.
“Hunter, Lily’s eight, I think she knows how to use the bathroom by herself.” Hunter gave me his begging face and I closed my eyes.
“Fine, come on Lily.” I got up carefully and took Lily’s hand leading her to the back of the plane.
On the way back there we passed rows and rows of seats, I wasn’t really paying attention to the people, but I should have, I really should have.
“Welcome to sunny California, it’s a beautiful 75 degrees, there’s a light wind, and it’s about 1 P.M. here, hope you enjoy your stay, and thank you for flying with us!” The captain’s chipper voice said, I looked out the window at the environment, a few clouds dotted the sky, but over all a beautiful trip to start our dreaded vacation.
The ride to the hotel was interesting, the family got two cars, and Roxy drove the second. That would have been fine, but she drank seven cans of Mountain Dew on the way here, making her more hyper then Molly.
“OMG! THIS PLACE IS AMAZING, CAN YOU SAY BEAUTIFUL! I CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO THE HOTEL! WHO’S GOING IN THE POOL WITH ME? I REALLY WANT TO GO IN THE POOL! OH I LOVE THIS SONG! AND THE SEVENTH THING I HATE THE MOST THAT YOU DO, YOU MAKE ME LOVE YOU!!” Roxy screamed as she bounced up and down. Hunter groaned.
“Roxy, how old are you? Really your worse then Natalie, and she’s four! And Hannah Montana? Really Roxy? Couldn’t you at least sing something else?” Roxy just shook her head, and kept singing.
Hunter looked relieved when we pulled into the hotel parking lot, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him move so fast. The second we got settled Roxy demanded we go to the pool, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. So that was where I found myself now, sitting by the pool watching my sisters play with the noodles.
“Next time you’re going to switch tickets with me, don’t put me next to her!” I turned to see Marc taking the seat next to me.
“Oh, you saw that huh? Well would you rather sit next to Roxy or them?” I asked pointing to my sisters who were now hitting Hunter with the noodles.
“Them, at least they fell asleep, she never stopped talking!” I smirked.
“Shouldn’t have let her have the Mountain Dew.”
“Ya think?” He asked incredulous, I suppressed a laugh as Roxy walked by and Marc involuntarily shuddered.
“Oh, so what were Adam’s plans?” Marc asked suddenly. I frowned at I turned to look at him.
“He was going to visit his family, why?” Marc shrugged and muttered something, I didn’t get a chance to ask when Hunter came to a stop in front of me.
“Ok, Toni, you need to save me, your sisters are abusing me with foam noodle things, and I have done nothing to deserve this, and they got my sisters to help. And all I really want to do is go take a nap.” I laughed as I got up.
“Come on, Roxy can’t stop us from going in.” With that we ran to the room before Roxy could notice us missing.
“So I saw you and Marc talking.” I looked up from my book to find Hunter standing in the doorway.
“I thought you were taking a nap.” Hunter shrugged.
“I was, but then I woke up when some kid ran by screaming.”
“Ahh, I see.” Hunter came to sit next to me on the bed.
“So you guys were talking.” He prompted, I nodded and closed my book.
“Yeah, its weird, ever since Adam showed up, we talk more.” Hunter nodded.
“You think Adam’s helped that?” I frowned.
“In some way maybe, did I tell you Marc doesn’t want me dating Adam?” Hunter looked at me like I was crazy.
“Why? Adam’s cool, perfect for you even, I’m jealous.” I shrugged.
“I don’t know, he just told me he was hiding something, but he doesn’t know what, and when I asked Adam he told me that he wasn’t hiding anything, that Marc must just be protective of his sister. But Marc’s persistent, and is now asking about Adam’s plans.” Hunter looked thoughtful.
“What are the boyfriend’s plans?”
“He went to visit his family in Texas again. He said he’d call me when he landed.” Hunter looked around my room.
“Where is your cell phone?” I pointed to my pocket.
“But it’s off, I didn’t want some flight attendant or Roxy yelling at me because it went off at the wrong time.” Hunter smirked.
“And why would Roxy yell at you because your cell phone went off?”
“Because she’s Roxy, and what would’ve happened if it went off in the middle of her Hannah Montana song, or the CD of Hannah Montana songs we didn’t know she brought with?” Hunter tapped his nose thoughtfully.
“She would have killed you.” He admitted trying to keep a straight face. It didn’t last long as we both burst out laughing and rolling on the bed.
“HOW DARE YOU LET YOUR CELL PHONE GO OFF DURING MY FAVORITE SONG!” Hunter mimicked his older sister perfectly as I laughed harder, burying my face in the pillow.
“I’m sorry Roxy, it won’t happen again!” I said between giggles.
“DON’T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME! NOW COME BACK AND LET ME HIT YOU WITH MY ILLINOIS SIZE PLANE!” Hunter said wagging his finger and screaming in a high-pitched voice.
“I promise Roxy it will never happen again!”
“What won’t happen again?” Asked a voice from the doorway, I watched Hunter’s face get a horrified look on it as we turned to see a puzzled looking Roxy standing in the doorway.
“Um, I won’t borrow your clothes ever again?” I tried, Hunter shot me his ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ look, and I raised a shoulder, ‘best I could come up with’ I mouthed. Roxy pushed out her lower lip.
“You’ve never borrowed my clothes, you ok? Maybe you should get some sleep, it will help clear your brain.” I nodded, and Roxy looked at her brother.
“You know that’s your cue to leave right, you can’t stay in here while she sleeps.” Hunter was about to protest when Roxy grabbed his arm and pushed him out the door.
“Roxy!” Roxy locked the door behind her.
“So sleep for you, we have a big day tomorrow! We’re going to Disney!” I gave her my best fake enthusiastic face, and she handed me my pajamas.
“Now get some sleep!” With that she turned off the lights and sat on her bed opening a book.
“Roxy, how are you going to read in the dark?” I asked as I put on my pajamas.
“I’m not reading, I’m skimming.” She didn’t look up, just continued to stare at the book.
“Okay, so how do you plan to skim in the dark?” She looked up at that.
“By just reading the words I can see, duh.” I held back a laugh as I climbed into my soft bed.
“Alright, you do that Rox, night.” I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, letting my dreams of Adam fall over me, I was glad they were dreams now, because they would become nightmares later.